asked the Minister for the Public Service the plans, if any, to improve industrial relations in the public service.

As the Deputy is aware, good industrial relations are ultimately based on mutual understanding and trust between managements and unions. Central to this trust must be knowledge that each side will honour agreements freely entered into and that efficient procedures are agreed for resolving fairly and speedily the problems which will inevitably arise from time to time.

Procedure for the orderly resolution of disputes have been agreed with unions representing the vast majority of employees in the public service and the Government are committed to reviewing and updating these procedures regularly.

Procedures for the orderly resolution of disputes must of necessity place some constraints on freedom of action by individuals, managements, unions and the Government themselves. The Government and indeed the vast majority of unions have been prepared to accept these constraints as the price which must be paid for good industrial relations.

In recent times some groups have displayed an anti-social and, indeed, unacceptable attitude in that they will accept the advantages of the system but refuse to be bound by any of the constraints. If the Government were to condone this approach it would inevitably lead to the disintegration of the orderly process of resolution of claims.

The Government will continue to make any necessary changes in procedures that can be agreed with the unions but, in the common interest, they cannot abandon those procedures.